Michael Scheuer

Mr. Scheuer was a senior U.S. Intelligence official in the CIA, and has clear positions on what is being done wrong, and what needs to be done, to keep America and American citizens safe. He is critical of the Bush Administrations simplistic position that "... they hate us because of our Freedoms...".

Instead, Mr. Scheuer points out that the writings and speeches of Al Qaeda indicate that the key issues continue to be the presence of U.S. troops in "Holy Lands", the U.S. unabashed, show more one-sided, and unquestioning unilateral support for anything Israel does, and the U.S. continuing support of repressive Arab regimes such as in Egypt and Saudi Arabia. To more and more Muslims, the U.S. championing of Human Rights is hypocritical in that it only applies to enemies, but does not appear to apply to pseudo-allies like Saudi Arabia, (since we need their oil), or Egypt (if they maintain a peace treaty with Israel). Scheuer points out that these are the issues which must be addressed, and the causes of our troubles.

While taking issue with the Bush policies, hard core Party loyalists from both the Republican as well as the Democratic sides of the aisle can take issue with "Marching Toward Hell". Mr. Scheuer is clearly a Reagen Republican, but while criticizing the current administration's handling of the war on terror following 9/11, he's no supporter of Clinton's earlier actions against Osama Bin Laden and Al Queda either. The common theme is that neither the current nor previous Administration, in this ex-CIA manager's opinion, have taken the appropriate steps to combat radical Islam, and if the US is to succeed, the Country must change it's approach.

It's true that many Muslims may be offended by aspects of Western culture, organizations such as al Qaeda are not fighting against us because of our democratic system of government, our civil liberties, gender equality, or our policy of separation of church and state. Those among them who preach violence are prompted by specific US military, political, and econimic policies that create antagonism in the Islamic world. Those strategies convince many into believing their communities, lands, and religion are under attack. Mr. Scheuer makes the argument that the longer we continue to fight and remain in Iraq and Afghanistan, the more enemies we are creating. He is a supporter of the earlier Powell policy of , if faced with war, go in with overwhelming force, win quickly, and get out. The auther states that if our leaders fail to recognize the true issues, and US policies and rhetoric do not change, the west will continue to lose the war on terror. show less

I read this at the beginning of 2005, which was a pretty good time given I read a good number of books. This was an interesting book. It discusses the issue with an emphasis on looking at it from Bin Laden's and the Middle East's point of view. It is clear that the author knows his material, which he presents in a thoughtful fashion with various examples to illustrate the arguments. He brings in history, political, cultural and other sources, many unclassified that anyone can read to show show more Bin Laden is not just a mere terrorist, but a competent leader of an Islamist insurgency. He also points out that Muslims hate the U.S. for its policies, not for their democracy, contrary to what every other demagogue or politician would have us think. Overall, an excellent book that more people should be reading to better understand the real nature of Al Qaeda's threat to the U.S. show less

An interesting biography of bin Laden by the former head of the CIA bin Laden Unit. Scheuer believes the West continually underestimates and demonizes bin Laden rather then attempting to understand his motives, causing the West to be more vulnerable. This isn't a book you can enjoy, but it's a good book to read if you want to understand the continuing "war on terror." While a good book, I don't think it equals Scheuer's earlier, Imperial Hubris or Marching Toward Hell, both of which I highly show more recommend.

Bad timing in that the book was released just a few months before OBL's death. Still worth reading however. show less

Whether as man or myth, arguably no one since Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr. has more profoundly affected American daily life than Osama bin Laden. As author Michael Scheuer argues cogently in his new biography of bin Laden, since his formal declaration of war against the United States in 1996, bin Laden has deliberately drawn America into armed conflicts of varying durations but substantial costs in Africa, Afghanistan, and Iraq. Since past is present's prologue, likely bin Laden will goad show more further American military action in the turmoils currently roiling north Africa and the Middle East. Using a plethora of authoritative sources, including most importantly the words and writings of bin Laden himself, Scheuer demonstrates that bin Laden attempts these manipulations to lure America into ruinous wars where victory is ever elusive but the prolonged loss of American blood and treasure is assured. In this concise and well-written book, former chief of the CIA's bin Laden unit Scheuer presents a compelling argument that American political, military and media leaders are engaged in mortal combat with a fabricated enemy of their own creation and preference, instead of with bin Laden himself. Scheuer's book is a valiant effort to present bin Laden the man, rather than the phantasm he's become in many American minds. Only when America understands the man and his true motives, strengths and limitations, says Scheuer, can America engage and defeat bin Laden in realistic and definitive terms. As America finds itself mired in the second decade of a multi-front Al Qaeda War bin Laden began during the Clinton administration, Scheuer's book should be mandatory reading both for anyone curious why this war rages on without seeming end, and for American politicians and generals eager to fight the enemy they have, rather than the one they imagine. show less